Monday, 24 July 2017

Take
a look at your kids’ bookshelf (or Kindle if you’re so inclined). How wide is
the diversity of publications on there?

Introducing
children to a wide variety of books is a powerful way of educating them about
the wider world, and enhancing their understanding, emotional intelligence and
empathy for those they’ll meet throughout their life’s journey.

Below,
I’ve listed five books I highly recommend all parents to introduce to their
children which provide entertaining, but challenging, reading opportunities.
These expertly crafted stories tackle difficult questions around gender, race,
nationality, disability and empowerment, introducing and informing children
about real-world themes.

George, by Alex
Gino

“When people
look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She
knows she's a girl. George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever.
Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's
Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher
says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy.”

George
is a powerful story exploring themes of gender, self-identity and embracing
trans people within society. These topics are presented in ways which all
children are easily able to identify with: fitting in at school and being told
‘No, you can’t do that’.

Gino
wrote the book so that “kids have a book that reflects themselves and also that
reflects trans people even if they're not themselves trans.” The story itself
teaches children to understand the difficulties that come with being
‘different’ and how revealing your true self to someone can yield unexpected
results, both positive and negative. Ultimately, it aims to encourage
developing minds to be more understanding and change their viewpoints now,
rather than in the future.

Good Night
Stories for Rebel Girls, by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo

“What if the
princess didn't marry Prince Charming but instead went on to be an astronaut?
What if the jealous step sisters were supportive and kind? And what if the
queen was the one really in charge of the kingdom? Illustrated by sixty female
artists from every corner of the globe, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
introduces us to one hundred remarkable women and their extraordinary lives,
from Ada Lovelace to Malala, Amelia Earhart to Michelle Obama.”

Good
Night Stories for Rebel Girls is a fantastic new release that every child
should read with their parents - boys included! Research shows that by the time
girls reach elementary school, they already have less confidence in themselves
than boys.

It’s
important for girls to see female role models and to change this narrative
before it becomes ingrained. Books like ‘Good Night Stories’ help young women
become more confident and set bigger goals for themselves. Similarly for young
boys, this book offers an amazing learning experience about the various
achievements of extraordinary women and teaches them the importance of gender
equality from an early age.

Featuring
inspiring women from across the ages, this book will inspire dreams and empower
young girls to think bigger and to never
think that they can’t achieve something.

Welcome to
Nowhere, by Elizabeth Laird

“Twelve-year-old
Omar and his brothers and sisters were born and raised in the beautiful and
bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar doesn't care about politics - all he wants
is to grow up to become a successful businessman who will take the world by
storm. But, before long, bombs are falling, people are dying, and Omar and his
family have no choice but to flee their home with only what they can carry. Yet
no matter how far they run, the shadow of war follows them - until they have no
other choice than to attempt the dangerous journey to escape their homeland
altogether. But where do you go when you can't go home?”

Foreign
wars and the refugee crisis are very real topics, unavoidable in today’s world
- and with the varying portrayal of refugees by politicians and news
broadcasts, it can be difficult for children to understand the reality of
what’s happening and to relate to refugees as real people.

Welcome
to Nowhere explores these topics in a very personal and direct way, putting the
reader directly into the shoes of a refugee fleeing from their home. It
introduces the true challenges faced every day in the attempt to find safety -
challenges posed not just by nature and the long journey, but also by the
people Omar and his family look to for help.

Ultimately,
this book teaches children about the horrors faced by people around the world,
and promotes the message of inclusivity, samaritanism, and helping others with
an open and empathetic heart.

The Hate U
Give, by Angie Thomas

“Sixteen-year-old
Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised
and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered
when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best
friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her
community. It could also get her killed.”

With
the ongoing struggle for justice faced by the Black Lives Matter movement in
the USA, The Hate U Give promotes a powerful message about race, diversity and
equality within the modern world.

This
book is better for older children or those with a higher reading age and
comprehension of the world events that inspired this book. It delves into the
importance of standing together to deal with brutality and racial profiling,
but also opens readers eyes to the internal struggles faced by individuals
caught up in terrible situations.

“Auggie wants
to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream,
playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don't make
other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren't
stared at wherever they go.

Born with a
terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his
whole life. Now, for the first time, he's being sent to a real school - and
he's dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates
that he's just like them, underneath it all?”

Similarly
to George, Wonder explores the theme of disability, presented in a way that all
middle-school children can relate to - the desire to fit in and be welcomed
somewhere new. It brings to light issues faced by those who are ‘different’ in
social situations, but it also demonstrates how compassion and kindness can
truly change someone's life for the better.

It
teaches children to empathise and understand, rather than to pity or judge,
anyone different from themselves, and to spread kindness to everyone they meet.
In fact, a lot of adults could benefit from reading Wonder too!

Giorgio's love of reading began as a child when he was gifted an original copy
of 'The Hobbit' which swiftly began a lifelong addiction to fantasy novels of
all flavours. Giorgio is Marketing Manager at Tutora, the UK's leading private tuition
platform, helping thousands of families find the perfect private tutor for their
children. For more reading inspiration, check
out Tutora's list of the 90 best Children's Books of 2017